No overall control

In the context of local authorities in the United Kingdom no overall control (NOC; Welsh : dim rheolaeth gyffredinol) ^[1] is a situation in which no single political group achieves a majority of seats, comparably to a hung parliament. Of the 248 councils who had members up for election in the 2019 local elections, 73 (over a quarter) resulted in a NOC administration. In the 2021 local elections, 14 resulted in no overall control. Outside of the UK, the term may be applied to other local authorities, such as the local councils of Malta and the General Assembly of Budapest in Hungary.

Administration

Typically, if no party achieves overall control of a council, the largest grouping will form alliances to create an ad hoc governing coalition. Often local authorities have larger proportions of smaller party and independent members than the House of Commons, and when there is no overall control this often results in minor groups having more influence than their numbers alone would suggest.

In a result of no overall control, the largest party may attempt to govern as a minority administration. Parties may also work together to create a formal deal, which can range from a confidence and supply deal ^[a] to full coalition. Deals, especially the looser kind, can occur between parties which are not traditionally aligned on a national level. For example, a minority Conservative administration was formed in 2019 in Bolton supported by the Liberal Democrats and UKIP, ^[2] whilst a Labour-UKIP formal coalition existed in Basildon. ^[3] Following the 2017 Aberdeen City Council election, all nine Labour councillors were expelled from the party for entering into a coalition with the Conservatives. ^[4]

It is possible for a council to be under no overall control even when there appears to be an overall majority, in particular in the case of a majority of independents, who commonly have no collective policies when elected. This can also arise when the council members divide on other than party lines. For instance, the 2004 elections to the Isle of Anglesey County Council returned more independents than all others put together, but only Plaid Cymru maintained a party group within the council, and not all of its elected members joined the group. The remainder of the council, including some members of other political parties, formed four non-partisan groups, none of which held a majority. The 2008 elections resulted in a group called the Original Independents gaining an overall majority. ^[5]

No overall control is more common in Northern Ireland and Scotland, in part due to their usage of single transferable vote as opposed to the plurality block voting system used in England and Wales. Following the 2022 Scottish local elections, twenty-seven of the thirty-two councils were under no overall control, with a further three having a majority of independents. ^[6] Following the 2023 Northern Ireland local elections, all eleven councils were under no overall control.

Local authorities

County councils

Council	Seats	Largest party		Seats	Control [7]		Seats
Cambridgeshire	61		Conservative	22		Liberal Democrats/Labour/St Neots Independent/Independent coalition	36
East Sussex	50		Conservative	24		Conservative minority	24
Gloucestershire	53		Conservative	26		Conservative minority	26
Oxfordshire	63		Liberal Democrats	20		Liberal Democrats/Green coalition [8]	23

Metropolitan boroughs

Council	Seats	Largest party		Seats	Control [9]		Seats
Bolton	60		Labour	26		Labour minority	26
Dudley	72		Conservative	34		Conservative minority	34
Kirklees	69		Labour	24		Labour minority	24
Oldham	60		Labour	27		Labour minority	27
Sheffield	84		Labour	36		Labour/Liberal Democrats/Green coalition	77
Stockport	63		Liberal Democrats	31		Liberal Democrats minority	31
Wirral	66		Labour	29		Labour minority	29

Unitary authorities

Council	Seats	Largest party		Seats	Control [10]		Seats
Bedford	46		Labour	13 [b]		Conservative mayor	13 [c]
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole	76		Liberal Democrats	28		Liberal Democrats/Christchurch Independents/Poole People/Independent coalition	44
Bristol	70		Green	34		Green/Liberal Democrats coalition	42
Central Bedfordshire	63		Independent	28		Independent minority	28
Cheshire East	82		Conservative	33		Labour/Independent coalition	45 [11]
Darlington	50		Labour	24		Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition	27
Derby	51		Labour	23		Labour minority	23
Durham	126		Labour	54		Conservative/Liberal Democrats/Derwentside Independents/North East/Green/Independent coalition	66
East Riding of Yorkshire	67		Conservative	25		Conservative minority	25
Herefordshire	53		Conservative	21		Conservative minority	21
Isle of Wight	39		Conservative	16		Independent/Green/Our Island coalition	13
North East Lincolnshire	42		Conservative	17		Conservative minority	17
North Somerset	50		Conservative	15 [d]		Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green/Portishead Independents/Independent coalition	35
Northumberland	67		Conservative	33		Conservative minority	33
Peterborough	60		Labour	18		Labour minority	18
Portsmouth	42		Liberal Democrats	19		Liberal Democrats minority	19
Redcar and Cleveland	59		Labour	22		Labour minority	22
Rutland	27		Liberal Democrats	11		Liberal Democrats/Green coalition	12
Slough	42		Conservative	20		Conservative/Liberal Democrats coalition	23
South Gloucestershire	61		Conservative	23		Liberal Democrats/Labour Party coalition	37
Southend-on-Sea	51		Labour	20		Labour/Liberal Democrats/Independent coalition	29
Stockton-on-Tees	56		Conservative	24		Labour minority	22
Wokingham	54		Liberal Democrats	27		Liberal Democrats minority	27

London boroughs

Council	Seats	Largest party		Seats	Control [12]		Seats
Croydon	71		Conservative	34		Conservative mayor	34
			Labour	34
Havering	55		Havering Residents Association	22		Havering Residents Association/Labour coalition	31

Welsh principal areas

Council	Seats	Largest party		Seats	Control [13]		Seats
Conwy	55		Independent	23		Independent/Labour/Plaid Cymru coalition [e]	37
Denbighshire	48		Labour	15		Labour/Plaid Cymru coalition	23
Flintshire	67		Labour	27		Labour minority	27
Merthyr Tydfil	30		Independent	16		Independent minority	15
Monmouthshire	46		Labour	22		Labour minority	22
Neath Port Talbot	60		Labour	27		Independent/Plaid Cymru coalition [f]	29
Pembrokeshire	60		Independent	35		Independent/Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition	29
Powys	68		Liberal Democrats	22		Liberal Democrats/Labour coalition	31
Vale of Glamorgan	54		Labour	25		Labour/Llantwit First Independents/Independent coalition	30
Wrexham	56		Independent	24		Independent/Conservative coalition	30

District councils

Council	Seats	Largest party		Seats	Control [16]		Seats
Arun	54		Conservative	19		Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green coalition	28
Ashford	47		Conservative	17		Conservative minority	17
Babergh	32		Green	10		Green/Liberal Democrats/Independent coalition	24
Basildon	42		Labour	19		Labour minority	19
Basingstoke and Deane	54		Conservative	15		B&D Independents/Liberal Democrats/Green/Independent coalition [g]	28
Brentwood	39		Conservative	19		Liberal Democrats/Labour coalition	20
Broadland	47		Conservative	22		Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green coalition	25
Bromsgrove	31		Conservative	11		Conservative/Independent coalition	18
Burnley	45		Labour	15		Independent/Liberal Democrats/Green coalition [h]	22
Canterbury	39		Labour	18		Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition	27
Charnwood	52		Conservative	23		Labour minority [i]	20
Cherwell	48		Liberal Democrats	17		Liberal Democrats/Green coalition	21
Colchester	51		Conservative	19		Liberal Democrats minority [j]	14
Derbyshire Dales	34		Liberal Democrats	12		Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green coalition	23
East Devon	60		Liberal Democrats	18		Liberal Democrats/Green/Independent coalition	31
East Hampshire	43		Conservative	19		Conservative/Whitehill and Bordon Community Party coalition	25
East Hertfordshire	50		Green	17		Green/Liberal Democrats coalition	27
East Lindsey	55		Conservative	25		Conservative minority	25
East Suffolk	55		Green	16		Green/Liberal Democrats/Independent coalition	28
Elmbridge	48		Liberal Democrats	21		Liberal Democrats/Residents Association coalition	35
Folkestone and Hythe	30		Green	11		Green/Liberal Democrats coalition	13
Forest of Dean	38		Green	15		Green minority	15
Gloucester	39		Liberal Democrats	17		Liberal Democrats minority	17
Great Yarmouth	39		Conservative	19		Conservative minority	19
Harborough District Council	34		Conservative	15		Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green coalition	19
Hart	33		Liberal Democrats	12		Liberal Democrats/Community Campaign (Hart) coalition	23
Hastings	32		Green	12		Green/Independent coalition	18
Havant	36		Conservative	13		Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green coalition	21
Hertsmere	39		Conservative	16		Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition	23
Huntingdonshire	52		Conservative	19		Liberal Democrats/Labour/St Neots Independent Group/Green/Independent coalition	32
King's Lynn and West Norfolk	55		Conservative	21		Independent/Liberal Democrats/Green coalition	21
Lancaster	61		Green	22		Green/Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition	50
Lewes	41		Green	16		Green/Labour coalition	24
Lichfield	47		Conservative	21		Conservative minority	21
Maidstone	49		Conservative	13		Liberal Democrats/Green/Independent coalition	26
Maldon	31		Conservative	10		Maldon District Independent Group minority [22]	6
Malvern Hills	31		Independent	13		Independent/Green coalition	18
Melton	28		Conservative	10		Independent/Labour coalition	15
Mid Sussex	48		Liberal Democrats	20		Liberal Democrats/Independent coalition	24
Newark and Sherwood	39		Conservative	14		Labour minority	10
North Hertfordshire	51		Labour	25		Labour minority	25
North Warwickshire	35		Conservative	17		Conservative minority	17
North West Leicestershire	38		Labour	17		Conservative/Liberal Democrats/Independent coalition	19 [23]
Norwich	39		Labour	19		Labour minority	19
Oxford	48		Labour	20		Labour minority	20
Pendle	33		Conservative	13		Independent/Liberal Democrats coalition	18
Reigate and Banstead	45		Conservative	19		Conservative minority	19
Ribble Valley	40		Conservative	17		Conservative minority	17
Rochford	39		Liberal Democrats	11		Liberal Democrats/Independent/Green coalition	21
Rother	38		Conservative	10		Labour/Rother Association of Independent Councillors/Liberal Democrats/Green coalition	24
Rugby	42		Conservative	17		Conservative minority	17
Runnymede	41		Conservative	12		Labour/Liberal Democrats/RIRG/Green/Independent coalition	25
South Kesteven	56		Conservative	22		Independent/Liberal Democrats/Green coalition	28
South Norfolk	46		Conservative	23		Conservative minority	23
Spelthorne	39		Conservative	16		Liberal Democrats/Independent coalition	14
Stafford	40		Conservative	15		Labour/Stafford Borough Independents/Green coalition	24
Staffordshire Moorlands	56		Labour	23		Labour minority	23
Stroud	51		Green	22		Green minority	22
Swale	47		Labour	16		Labour/Swale Independents/Green/Independent coalition	30
Tandridge	43		Liberal Democrats	11		Independent/Oxted and Limpsfield Residents Group coalition	20
Tendring	48		Conservative	14		Independent/Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition	28
Tewkesbury	38		Liberal Democrats	16		Liberal Democrats/Independent/Green coalition	29
Tonbridge and Malling	44		Conservative	20		Conservative minority	20
Torridge	36		Independent	16		Independent minority	16
Warwick	44		Green	14		Green/Labour coalition	24
Waverley	50		Liberal Democrats	22		Liberal Democrats/Farnham Residents Party/Labour/Green coalition	38
Wealden	45		Liberal Democrats	11		Liberal Democrats/Green coalition	22
			Green	11
Welwyn Hatfield	48		Labour	20		Labour/Liberal Democrats coalition	36
West Devon	31		Conservative	11		Independent/Green/Liberal Democrats/Labour coalition	20
West Lindsey	36		Liberal Democrats	17		Liberal Democrats minority	17
West Oxfordshire	49		Liberal Democrats	21		Liberal Democrats/Labour/Green coalition	36
West Suffolk	64		Conservative	26		Labour/Independent/West Suffolk Independent/Liberal Democrats/Green coalition	28
Worcester	35		Labour	17		Labour minority	17

See also

• Coalition
• Hung parliament

References

1. Confidence votes in local governments do not cause early elections.
2. Including the mayor, the Conservatives hold 14 seats.
3. 14 including mayor.
4. Includes 2 independents who sit with the Conservative Party and Independents Group on the council.
5. Conwy's sole Green councillor is in a group with Plaid Cymru. ^[14]
6. Liberal Democrats and Green confidence and supply. ^[15]
7. The Basingstoke & Deane Independents, Green Party, and the independents sit as the Independent Forum group. ^{[17] [18]}
8. The independents sit as the Burnley Independents group. ^[19]
9. Supported by the Green Party. ^[20]
10. Supported by Labour and the Green Party. ^[21]

1. "OGWR". BBC News. May 8, 2007.
2. Halliday, Josh; Pidd, Helen (10 May 2019). "Labour loses control of council strongholds of Bolton and Darlington". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
3. Chapman, Chloe (24 May 2017). "Ukip and Labour to 'form first coalition'". Echo. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
4. "Labour councillors in Aberdeen suspended over Tory coalition". BBC News. 17 May 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
5. "Controversial Anglesey Councillor Hangs Up His Hat". Anglesey Hidden Gem. September 2010. Retrieved 2017-12-02.
6. "Scottish Council Elections 2022". BBC News. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
7. "County Councils". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
8. "Oxfordshire Labour group quits council coalition over SEND failures". BBC News. 24 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
9. "Metropolitan Boroughs". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
10. "Unitary Authorities". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
11. "Cheshire East Council to be run by coalition after deal is struck". BBC News. 16 May 2023. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
12. "London Boroughs". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
13. "Welsh Councils". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
14. "The Political Make-up of the Council". Conwy County Borough Council. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
15. Gregory, Rhys (24 May 2022). "Coalition announced for Neath Port Talbot Council". Wales 247. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
16. "District Councils". Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
17. "Basingstoke & Deane Independent Forum" . Retrieved 6 September 2024.
18. "Your Councillors". Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
19. Jacobs, Bill (8 May 2024). "Three way council coalition agrees to stay in charge as minority rulers". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
20. Breens, Julia (16 May 2023). "New leader set to be appointed after shock local election results". Leicestershire Live. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
21. "New Administration and Cabinet announced following May's local elections". Colchester City Council. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
22. Meyler, Piers (14 June 2023). "Councillor who quit after suffering homophobic abuse is now leader of council". Maldon and Burnham Standard. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
23. "New alliance administration for North West Leicestershire District Council". North West Leicestershire District Council. Retrieved 5 July 2023.

External links

• No Overall Control? - Hansard weighs up a hung parliament Guy Aitchison, Our Kingdom